


Bitter Pills (An introduction in three parts)

by Finkledorf



Series: Idioms [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: I'm not ready, Multi, THIS IS JUST THE START
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-06-01
Packaged: 2018-07-11 13:34:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7053913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Finkledorf/pseuds/Finkledorf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An exposition given by Nathanaël about the state of things.</p>
<p>Sometimes he gets a little distracted by his blonde classmate.</p>
<p>What's missing?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Faces

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all!
> 
> I sank into a pretty bad depression well and lost track of my notes for Wishes, so I'm feeling unmotivated there. Instead, I'm going to start this other thing and hope you forgive me. 
> 
> Anyway, here's wonderwall.

Sometimes, if he looked as hard as he could, Nathanaël could see moments of insecurity or loneliness on Chloé Bourgeois' face. 

 

The first time he saw it, he felt repulsed. How could someone so self-centered and devoid of basic human compassion dare to act hurt when people avoided her for those reasons?

 

But the more Nathanaël thought about it, the more it made sense. She lived in a self destructive cycle, wherein she would see someone get praise for something, and get that jealous/hurt expression on her face.

 

Her eyes would narrow, just a little. Her lips would purse into an uncharacteristically thin line. She would find a spot on the floor and examine it as though it knew some important piece of information that she didn't.

 

Then, she would scowl and do everything in her power to either steal or destroy the moment. On several occasions, she had gone out of her way to do something to piss Alya off. She would sit in the moment she destroyed and watch everyone go, unable to understand why she always ended up in that spot. Thus, her cycle would self perpetuate.

 

After learning the pattern, Nathanaël wasn't sure what to do with the information. The class generally appeased Chloé for the sake of convenience, but no one was happy about it. It was just the way things were. If Chloé got what she wanted, she wouldn't escalate her tantrum. This entitled attitude ensured that there was little to no hope of her ever making any friends besides the ones she had, Sabrina and Adrien.

 

On the other hand, Nathanaël wasn't so sure that Adrien wasn't just appeasing her in his own way, by refusing to deal with her fixation on him.

 

That left Nathanaël in a weird spot. He held the key to Chloé's psyche, knew exactly how to best push her buttons or give her a Come to Jesus moment, but no way to use it, and no one would want to bother.

 

And so, Nathanaël couldn't help but pity her as she continued to deprive herself of the attention she dearly craved.

* * *

 

 

Things changed when the Akumas began. Suddenly, there were serious repercussions for her escalating tantrums and tendencies to lash out, in the form of super villains. While there had never been more than one at a time, the frequency at which Chloé triggered the strong feelings and acted as the catalyst for akuma attacks was worrisome.

 

First, she had spurned Kim severely enough to cause an akuma with the intent to turn love into hatred. Chat Noir had only _just_ been able to defeat the Dark Cupid.

 

Second had been Alya. Chloé had been messing with Alya's phone during a physical education class, and deleted an interview with Chat Noir. Alya was furious, and Chloé whined to the principal so hard that he almost suspended Alya just to get Chloé off his back. Thus, Lady Wifi began a reign of terror antagonizing Chloé and attempting to unmask the hero.

 

Rumor had it that Alya had been the closest out of every akuma victim to getting her hands on the ring.

 

Nathanaël, for his part, had been relatively undisturbed in his daily routine. People had a tendency to forget that he was there, despite his vibrantly colored hair. Even Akumas passed him over with a slightly glazed expression. (Not that he minded, of course.)

 

Social invisibility had it's benefits, such as the ability to observe things without people noticing.

 

Adrien, for example, had been jumpier lately. Sometimes during class, Nathanaël had watched him read the same paper under his desk multiple times over the course of an hour. As soon as Alya turned towards him, he would fold the paper back up and get it out of sight before she noticed it.

 

Interesting.


	2. Mistakes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is shorter but that's okay. We'll be coming back to this once we get into the real meat of the story. ;o)

Nathanaël watched Chloé and Sabrina from across the commons as Chloé began (presumably) talking out her ass. Again.

 

It was the end of the school day, and everyone was lumbering around putting off leaving the school, and by extension, their friends.

 

In an exciting (read: terrifying) change of pace, Sabrina didn't seem to be taking Chloé's words well. In fact, the shade of crimson that Sabrina's nose had turned indicated quite the opposite.

 

Finally, Chloé went too far. Nathanaël didn't hear what she said, but Sabrina stood up from her perch beside Chloé so hard that it knocked her own bag over.

 

"I don't have to take this from you!" Sabrina yelled. Nathanaël had never heard Sabrina raise her voice so loud. He found himself taken aback at the level of anger she was expressing.

 

For her part, Chloé only scoffed and said something Nathanaël couldn't hear. It only served to escalate the situation, as Sabrina took off at a run and Chloé was too stunned to go after her.

 

* * *

 

 

Neither Chloé or Sabrina were in school the next day. What was particularly surprising about that was there was no indication of there having been an akuma attack the previous night. At least, as far as Nathanaël knew.

 

But then again, Nathanaël was no Chat Noir.

 

Without Chloé around to suck the joy and police the fun in the room, everyone seemed both relieved and on edge.

 

If she wasn't there, she couldn't trigger any more akumas by throwing a tantrum, which was good. On the other hand, what if she had already triggered an akuma, and no one knew about it yet?

 

The person who seemed to be on the edge the most was Adrien Agreste. Nathanaël wasn't really surprised by that. Adrien tended to be her first target because he pretty much took whatever came his way with grace and stoicism. Second was Alya, if she tried to interfere with Chloé making a scene at Adrien. Third and lastly was Sabrina, if neither of the other two would take the bait to give her a reason to flip her lid. If Chloé came back and hadn't been taken by an akuma, he could set his clock by the fit she would throw at him. If she had been taken by an akuma, she would be sated by a few moments of fawning and hollow comforts. If she got too much or too little pity, she'd throw another fit either way.

 

Nathanaël did not pity poor Agreste.


	3. Nights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The conclusion to the intro. We get some hints of what's to come. No spoilers ;o)
> 
> Prepare yourselves because I'm going to become an emotional wreck and I might need one of you to hold me

Sometimes, Nathanaël dreamed of a girl in a red mask.

 

Her eyes were the bluest he had ever seen in his life. He felt like he was staring into a clear summer sky when she looked at him.

 

Usually, he would open his mouth to ask her something, such as "who are you?" or "why do I keep dreaming of you?"

 

Every time he tried, she would gently shake her head and press a gloved finger to his lips.

 

Nathanaël was sure he was in love.

 

But then, he would see the reflection of Chat Noir in her eyes, and remember that he was only an observer. This dream and the information it contained wasn't for him, it was simply given to him to pass along to it's true recipient.

 

And so, he would gently kiss her finger, she would smile, life would continue.

 

She would look away from him for only a moment as she produced two halves of a broken brooch. She would press one half into his hand, hold her half in front of his face, and gently guide his hand until he was holding his piece with hers.

 

For the record, the brooch looked like a butterfly.

 

As quickly as it would start, it would be over. Nathanaël would awaken and try to keep hold of the slippery memories of her smile.

 

* * *

 

 

He liked to believe that he was going to tell Char Noir about the dream, one of these days. Since he was dreaming that he _was_ Chat Noir and all, it seemed only fair, especially with what Nathanaël had read about the significance and meaning of dreams. Something about the experience made him feel like he was doing something wrong by _not_ telling Chat Noir. He didn't enjoy the knowledge that he was lying to himself about the first part to keep the intimacy and emotion of that moment to himself (even though he knew it was the truth.)

 

Still, he knew that he had to tell the masked boy about his red clad counterpart, and soon, but building up the courage to try and corner Chat Noir was nearly impossible for someone as cripplingly shy as Nathanaël was.

 

 _I'll tell him somehow,_ he thought, _just as soon as I know how._


End file.
